The sport of bowling is widely enjoyed by persons of all ages and widely varying physical capabilities. Since successful bowling depends very largely on the strength and control of the bowler's arm and hand, particularly the fingers, numerous types of bowlers' gloves have been developed; this widespread use confirms the prevalence of a belief in their utility and effectiveness. While much attention has been given to the positioning and reinforcement of the wrist, it appears that less provision has been made for the support of specific fingers. Exceptions, in the patent literature, are Kistner U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,379 which provides support out to the middle joint of the middle and ring fingers (together), and Clayton U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,709 which provides a backing for the index finger.
The modern trend toward use of a finger-tip grip gives increased importance to the matter of finger support, particularly support for the ring finger which, in a proper ball delivering motion, is the last to leave the ball.